Ronald Burch endorsed for Morris first selectman seat

By Ryan Flynn

Monday, July 22, 2013

MORRIS >> Ronald Burch has been endorsed by the Morris Republican Town Committee to run for first selectman this November, and he did so without any opposition Monday night. Phil Birkett, formerly the first selectman for 14 years, was also among the long Republican slate to be endorsed, many of which are incumbents.

"It was nice," Burch said of gaining the endorsement without another nominee from the floor. "It's a vote of confidence is the way I took it, so I was very appreciative."

Burch is a first time candidate for the town's top seat. He worked in pharmaceutical research and development for 25 years, and moved to Warren from the town of Wilton in 2007.

Burch and Birkett announced in July that they would run as a team, given that each man said that their skill sets complement one another.

"He has a lot of attributes that I don't, but by the same token I have a lot of attributes that I bring to the table that he doesn't have," Birkett said in July. "So, I believe that we will dovetail very well."

"This is a guy who has run corporations," Hickey said. "You don't usually find people like that volunteering to run for board of selectman."

Burch's wife, Barbara, is on the Board of Finance and the Conservation Commission.

Incumbent town clerk Ann Carr, tax collector Launa Goslee, current planning and zoning chair Robert McIntosh and board of finance nominees Patricia Goslee and Tracy Martin also received endorsement by the Republican Party. Candidates for the zoning board alternates are Chris Dupont and Giles Giovinazzi. Judith Dorsett and Virginia Williamson have been endorsed to run for the library board. Del Knox was endorsed for the Board of Assessment Appeal and Ed Dorsett as an alternate for the Board of Finance.

The Democratic Town Committee's caucus is Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Morris Senior Center, located at 109 East St., Morris. Incumbent First Selectman Barbara Bongiolatti and selectman Lisa Harrison have both declared their interest in the first selectman position.